Necktie presser



Oct. 14, 1941.

c. J. POWELL NECKTIE PRESSER Filed Dec. 51, 1940 grwe/wbo'v dj well,

C Zarewse Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NECKTIl l PRESSER Clarence J. Powell, Charleston, W. Va. Application December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,693

2 Claims. (Cl. 38-72) My invention relates to a presser for neckties or similar articles, particularly of wearingapparel, such, for example, as trousers.

Although capable of being embodied in a physical form of such dimensions as to accommodate mens trousers placed therein Without folding,

my invention is especially intended for use as a portable device, for the convenient and effective pressing of smaller articles, such as neckties, and is preferably of such length, width and shape as to receive and press one or more entire neckties or a substantial portion thereof.

The device which constitutes my invention is especially and preferably intended for simultaneously holding and pressing a plurality of neckties. It is so constructed that, when filled with ties to be pressed, a strong, unusually heavy, pressure is exerted upon all of them uniformly, regardless of the number and thickness of the ties.

propersmooth backing surfaces of a sufiicient struction of my device in such manner that the A principal object of my invention is the provision of a presser for neckties and the like which will possess the desirable attributes of facility and economy of manufacture and efilciency of performance of the pressing operation and,;by reason of its improved design and structure, will not only hold and press a number of neckties and permit ready access to one or all of them, but also, without interference with its compactness and strength, will afford morelatitude and flexibility in the performance of its in- ;tended functions than is possible with presser devices of the same general type heretofore known.

This greater flexibility of use, resulting in a marked increase in convenience and utility, is

the result of certain novel features of construction by which the presser is not restricted to the handling of a fixed number of neckties of substantially uniform thickness, but is capable of being used to press a variable number of neckties or other articles of different thicknesses, for example, either a relatively small number of neckties of heavy or thick material or a relatively large number of thinner material, or different numbers of assorted thick and thin ties.

In connection with and as an adjunct to my main object of providing such greater flexibility in the number and character of the neckties handled, it is my purpose to so design and construct my presser that, irrespective of the number of the ties inserted in the device and the thickness of their material, the ties will receive proper pressing, with uniform heavy pressure,

and each tie will be furnished adequate and presser leaf or leaves, one or more of which form the presser backing plates or members, may be partially or wholly unused as backing plates for pressing purposes, or may, on the other hand, be augmented by an additional leaf or leaves, which may be inserted with little difliculty.

Other objects are the provision of a novel, eflicient, inexpensive and readily detachable means for guiding the loosely mounted leaves, permitting insertion or removal of leaves at will and preventing their substantial movement in any direction other than upon the guide means as a leaf-hinge line; the provision of a loose-leaf presser device comprising hinged boards or covers enclosing a presser leaf or leaves and associated guide means for the leaves which also restrict and determine the extent of opening of the covers within certain limits; and the provision of a necktie presser of the character described mounted in a carrying case and readily detachable therefrom.

These and further objects of my invention will be better understood by reference to the illustrative embodiment of the invention described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof and in which like characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of embodiment of my necktie iplace in the presser, the parts and enclosed neckties being depicted somewhat diagrammatically in one of their various possible arrangements, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing other illustrative examples of arrangements of the parts of the device for handling neckties of different number and character.

Generally speaking, my invention comprises a pair of rigid or substantially rigid presser boards or covers I of any suitable size and shape (preferably rectangular or substantially rectangular) hingedly mounted in substantially parallel relation (with their hinges so positioned as to space the hinged edges of the boards a fixed distance apart), one or more presser leaves loosely or floatingly positioned between the boards or covers I and adapted to be adjusted toward and from the boards I, and a clamping means of any suitable construction for clamping the free edgesor portions of the boards together in order to exert the desired pressure upon the neckties inserted in the device.

The boards .or covers I may be of wood, metal or composition, but are preferably made of wood and may, as desired, be used with their inner surfaces either .plain or lined or coated with metal. The leaves 2, which may also be of wood,

if sufficiently rigid, are preferably of aluminum or other suitable metal or of a suitable composition, such as hard rubber. Both the inside faces of boards I and the opposite surfaces of the leaves.2 should be flat and smooth.

Any suitable form of hinge construction for the mounting of boards I may be employed, whether the device is used in connection with a carrying case or separate therefrom. A simple and convenient hinge arrangement, as shown, comprises a pair of rigid base plates or straps 3, each provided at each end with an aperture 4 through which is pivotally positioned the angled end 5 of a rigid post or bracket 6, 611, thus forming hinge means for the latter. The

Iposts 5, 6a are secured, by any suitable means The upper or (e. g., by screws 1) to boards I. free ends of the posts 6, 6a may be used as the means of attachment of the means for clamping or holding the boards together for applying compression to the ties to be pressed. No invention is claimed in the specific clamping or holding means illustrated. Any suitable means for clamping or holding the free ends of boards I together for applying compression may be em- I2 being adapted to be swung downwardly over the upper end of board I after apertured strap 9 is in holding position over lug extension II to maintain strap 9 in holding engagement with extension II, and with strap .9, to hold the boards tightly together and exert a heavy pressure upon neckties placed in the device between boards I.

In order to provide for applying such pressure uniformly to the ties 30 within the device, and, moreover, to be able to obtain such uniform pressure upon ties which may be variable in number and thickness, as hereinbefore pointed out, the compartments or spaces within the azsao it presser are made variable in number and site (transverse width from board to board, from board to leaf or from leaf to leaf), this being accomplished by the insertion between boards I of one or more of the leaves 2, not fixedly hinged to the boards, to support 3 or to one another, as is usually the case in presser devices of this general character, but independently and separately placed, so that the leaves 2 are, in effect, loosely or fioatingly positioned and freely adjustable toward and from one another and the boards I.

To retain the leaf or leaves 2 in assembled relation within the boards I and to guide the leaves in their adjustment toward and from the boards and one another, and also to prevent undesired movement of the leaf or leaves longitudinally or in any other direction, except swingingly upon the guide means as a hinge, the leaf or leaves 2 and boards I are provided with apertures I3 through which are passed guide rods or pins I4, the opposite ends of which may be enlarged or bent to form stops I5 to limit the outward swinging movement of the boards I upon their hinges.

The leaves 2 are capable of use in various numbers and alternative arrangements and combinations. Fig. 2, for example, shows five leaves 2 uniformly spaced for cooperation with boards I to hold and press six neckties 30 of the same thickness; Fig. 3 illustrates a possible arrangement of the same number of leaves 2 for holding and pressing two neckties or other articles of different thickness, each being of considerably greater thickness than the neckties represented in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 similarly represents, diagrammatically, an arrangement of leaves 2 for accommodating three neckties 30 of different thickness, as compared with those shown in Fig. 2. Any number of leaves 2 may be used.

For convenience intransporting my presser device, it may be mounted in a case 20 of leather or other suitable material, preferably provided with a slide fastener closure means 2I and preferably detachable from the case. Any suitable and convenient form of attaching means may be employed, for example, rigid hooks 22 riveted or otherwise secured to case 20 may be so positioned as to be adapted to receive and frictionally (but removably) hold the base plates 3 when the latter are slid beneath the hooks 22.

For ready changing of the number of leaves 2 in the presser the rods or pins I4 are preferably formed of metal of such thickness as will enable the stops I5 to be straightened, so that the rods or pins may be removed and reinserted after the number of leaves has been increased or decreased, as desired, and again bent into loop or angle form to act as stops I5 after the parts have thus been reassembled.

I claim:

1. A presser of the character described comprising rigid cover boards each hingedly mounted along an edge thereof with their hinged edges a fixed distance apart, smooth substantially rigid presser leaves disposed between said boards and movable independently of said boards to provide presser spaces of variable number and extent between said leaves and boards, said leaves and boards having registering apertures adjacent the hinged edges of the boards, a guide, rod extending through said apertures and beyond the outer faces of said boards, said rod permitting free hinged movement of said leaves and boards while preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said leaves and said rod having means on its end portions to engage and limit the swinging movement of the boards on their hinges, and means for clamping the boards together in substantially parallel relation toapply pressure to articles placed in said presser'spaces between said boards.

2. A presser device for neckties and the like comprising a pair of presser boards, fixed hinges upon adjacent edges of said boards supporting said boards in substantially parallel relation with their hinged edges a fixed distance apart, the opposite edges of said boards being free, a presser leaf loosely positioned between said boards and freely adjustable toward and from said boards to provide presser spaces of variable extent, said boards and said leaf having registering apertures in the portions thereof adjacent the hinged edges of said boards, guide rod means extending through said apertures and extending outwardly beyond said boards a suflicient distance .to permit free hinged movement of said boards and lateral sliding movement of said leaf relative to said boards while preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said leaf relative to said boards, and means for holding the free edges of said boards togethert CLARENCE J. POWELL. 

